---

name: astro description: Astro framework patterns for SSR/SSG, middleware, and TypeScript. Use when working with Astro pages, API routes, middleware configuration, or debugging rendering issues. Trigger phrases include "Astro", "prerender", "middleware", "SSR", "SSG", "static site".

Astro Framework Skill

Patterns and gotchas for Astro development, with focus on authentication, middleware, and rendering modes.

Rendering Modes

SSG vs SSR for Protected Content

Critical: In Astro 5.x with output: "static", pre-rendered pages bypass middleware completely.

User Request → Vercel CDN → Pre-rendered HTML (cached)
                         ↳ Middleware SKIPPED for static content

Rendering Mode	Middleware Runs?	Use Case
SSG (prerender = true)	No - build time only	Public content, marketing
SSR (prerender = false)	Yes - every request	Protected content, auth

Protecting Content Pages

// src/pages/learn/[workshop]/[slug].astro
---
// REQUIRED: Forces middleware to run on every request
export const prerender = false;

const auth = Astro.locals.auth();
if (!auth?.userId) {
  return Astro.redirect('/sign-in');
}
---

API Routes Always Need SSR

// src/pages/api/members/index.ts
// API routes needing locals.auth MUST disable prerender
export const prerender = false;

export const GET: APIRoute = async ({ locals }) => {
  const auth = locals.auth?.();
  if (!auth?.userId) {
    return new Response("Unauthorized", { status: 401 });
  }
  // ...
};

Middleware Patterns

Basic Route Protection

// src/middleware.ts
import { clerkMiddleware, createRouteMatcher } from "@clerk/astro/server";

const isPublicRoute = createRouteMatcher([
  "/",
  "/sign-in(.*)",
  "/sign-up(.*)",
  "/api/webhooks/(.*)",
]);

export const onRequest = clerkMiddleware((auth, context) => {
  const { userId } = auth();

  if (isPublicRoute(context.request)) {
    return; // Allow public routes
  }

  if (!userId) {
    return auth().redirectToSignIn();
  }
});

Member Status Validation

Check member status in addition to authentication:

import { checkMemberAccess, ACCESS_LEVELS } from "@lib/auth";

async function checkAccess(userId, context) {
  const member = await memberQueries.findByClerkId(userId);

  if (!member) {
    return context.redirect("/pending-approval");
  }

  // Check status (expired, pending_approval, etc.)
  const access = checkMemberAccess(member, ACCESS_LEVELS.MEMBER);
  if (!access.hasAccess && access.redirectTo) {
    return context.redirect(access.redirectTo);
  }

  return undefined; // Allow access
}

TypeScript Gotchas

Unused Variable in Template Strings

Astro's TypeScript preprocessor may report variables as "unused" even when used in template literals:

// ❌ TypeScript error: 'slug' is declared but never read
---
const slug = entries[0]?.slug.split("/").pop();
return Astro.redirect(`/learn/${workshop}/${slug}`);
---

// ✅ Inline the expression
---
return Astro.redirect(`/learn/${workshop}/${entries[0]?.slug.split("/").pop() ?? "default"}`);
---

Path Brackets in Shell Commands

File paths with brackets need quoting in shell:

# ❌ Shell interprets brackets as glob
git add src/pages/learn/[workshop]/index.astro

# ✅ Quote the path
git add 'src/pages/learn/[workshop]/index.astro'

Content Collections

Dynamic Routes with SSR

When using SSR, you can't use getStaticPaths(). Use direct lookups instead:

// ❌ SSR mode - getStaticPaths not available
export const prerender = false;
export function getStaticPaths() { ... } // Won't work

// ✅ Direct content lookup
export const prerender = false;
const { workshop, slug } = Astro.params;
const entry = await getEntry("workshops", `${workshop}/${slug}`);
if (!entry) {
  return Astro.redirect("/404");
}

Cache Headers

Prevent Caching of Status Pages

Status pages (pending, expired, error) should never be cached:

---
// Prevent caching - status can change
Astro.response.headers.set("Cache-Control", "no-store, no-cache, must-revalidate");
Astro.response.headers.set("Pragma", "no-cache");
---

Configuration Reference

astro.config.mjs

export default defineConfig({
  output: "static",  // Default - SSG with per-page SSR opt-in
  // OR
  output: "server",  // Full SSR - all pages server-rendered

  adapter: vercel(), // Required for SSR on Vercel
});

Per-Page Rendering

// Force SSG (build-time)
export const prerender = true;

// Force SSR (request-time)
export const prerender = false;

Common Issues

Middleware Not Running

Symptoms: Auth checks bypassed, expired users see content

Cause: Page is pre-rendered (SSG default)

Fix: Add export const prerender = false;

404 on Dynamic Routes

Symptoms: /learn/workshop/module returns 404

Cause: Dynamic params not handled in SSR mode

Fix: Check Astro.params and handle missing values:

const { workshop, slug } = Astro.params;
if (!workshop || !slug) {
  return Astro.redirect("/404");
}

Build Fails with Type Errors

Symptoms: ts(6133): variable is declared but never read

Cause: Astro preprocessor quirk with template strings

Fix: Inline expressions or suppress with // @ts-ignore

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Last updated: December 2025